


Cyber Sides

by AbelineGrace



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - Human, Angst, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Cybernetics, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Fluff and Angst, How Do I Tag, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Selectively Mute Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Sensory Meltdown, Sensory Overload, Sign Language
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:28:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27360478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbelineGrace/pseuds/AbelineGrace
Summary: Inspired by Alita Battle AngelIt's the year 3039, the human race has been cut in half since the 3020 plague. A group of misfit teenagers, who all have modifications, discover something dangerous about their world.**TW**Please read the tags before you read this! I will update them if something new shows up in a chapter that is needed to know about.Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Sensory Problems, Self Harm (Mentioned, might end up genuine), Drunk Parent.
Kudos: 16





	1. Backstory and Orientation

As kids, the four kids had never truly understood the issues the world seemed the struggle with.

As generation Zo (idfk), most of the kids were pretty clueless. Cute and confused. In 3020, half the population up and died. That's nineteen years from the present, we'll get there in a minute.

The world took it hard, but also took it as an opportunity. Buildings and cities were demolished, freeing space for new trees to be planted. I don't know how to fix the environment but like they did important stuff, on top of that, modding started to become a big thing.

Modding used to be illegal, 3000-3019 it was. Modding was where you could have robotic parts added to you, enhancing you in almost any way. Modding became something that was practically expected in the big cities, in the smaller towns it was frowned upon though.

Kinda like homosexuality in your time, dear reader.

Generation Zo comes in around 3023, our four protagonists were born in that year and most of the adults didn't say much about the fact they'd lost so many loved ones only a couple years ago.

Virgil Storm. He was six when he got his first modifications, little robotic parts inserted into his ears and eyes, a microchip implanted in his skull that forces his body to acknowledge the sensory input at a higher level than it should. He didn't want the modification, but his abusive rich mother refused to have an unmodded kid.

He lived in Detroit, Michigan most of his life. A town ruined and rebuilt as a cyber city of sorts. Dark alleyways and bright neon lights surround the narrow walkways and roads. Tall buildings reach into the sky and dealers sit in the back of the trashed alleys with weapons of bribery.

His father was a drunken, and his mother was rich and neglective. He got his second mod at thirteen, even further against his will.

His father did this, his mom was fine with it none the less. He dragged he poor boy to a nearby modders shop with mommas wallet and forced Virgil to pick something out. He was sobbing and screaming, but getting smacked upside the head a few times shut him up.

The little boy, too afraid to do anything that could get him hurt further, pointed to some spider limbs in the window. The shopkeeper informed them that they were one of a kind, during the night the small lines throughout them lit up with neon purple lights and the limbs would attach to his nervous system to act as extra arms.

His father rolled his eyes but bought them none the less, practically throwing the little kid at the shopkeeper before dragging him out once the modding was done.

Virgil was sore and exhausted for weeks, he couldn't seem to get a hold of the stupid new black, metal limbs he had now, but too scared to ask anybody for help. 

Roman Princeton. A rich boy with absentee mothers who handed him money instead of attention. Despite living in a larger neighborhood modding was incredibly uncommon amongst the citizens, so the only mod he had was a metal arm he had obtained at five due to a car accident that left him without one.

However in an attention seeking act of rebellion at twelve, Roman took his mommas money and bought himself some mods. A big pair of metal wings, they stretched twice as far as his arms and had light weight metal slips of feathers, the spots under and between the feathers lit up with red and gold, well, technically any color but he only used those.

His momma didn't take it well, when she got back from a business trip probably a month later she lost it. Screaming and yelling at him for being so stupid, but she knew he couldn't take it back.

She gives him dirty looks and scoffs whenever he tries to talk any time she's around, and she seems to be gone for longer periods at a time now.

His mum gave him one looked, grabbed his bags and left on another trip without a word. Leaving the rich boy in a deeper depression than before.

Patton Brindle. Just a normal kid with a normal life. Two dads that love him very much, but despite that still pressured him into getting mods so he'd "fit in". Neither of the men expected he ten year old to go off with the thousand plus dollars and get cat ears with a tail.

Then again, he was ten-

They had scolded him for getting something so useless, and he cowered, the metal ears with false fur atop them drooped and his tail hid between his legs. The fathers had to admit.

It was adorable and they suddenly felt horrible, so they both crouched down and gave him a big hug, telling him it was alright just to ask about what he was getting next time.

But if he liked them, they were gonna be fine with it.

Logan's a rich kid with a mom and a dad that don't care much for him. He dedicated his life to studying and getting great grades in hopes of being noticed. He hid his emotions so he didn't seem needy, being the perfect son.

Not that they ever cared.

They left him alone and practically forgot he existed most of the time. He get himself mods to help with his studies, a memory drive that somehow connects to his brain, robotic parts to his eyes to help him read and his fingers and knuckles are made of metal, amplifying his typing speed.

His parents, of course, couldn't care less. So he kept trying and trying and he never gave up. All he wanted was to be noticed and cared about.

It just never happened.

The four boys met up on August Twenty Seventh, the day of their orientation and tour of the school in a small town called Britchton.

Virgil had his spider limbs tucked up under his jacket for most of the time he was there, but at one point or another he'd been talking to a teacher and they knocked over various things. Of course the unmodded teacher had no chances of getting it all so Virgil pulled off his hoodie at practically lightning speeds and grabbed just about every item with his eight arms and set it back down on the desk sheepishly.

The teacher had stared at him and shock before it turned to judgement before to a sickly sweet attitude. Roman had met him first, having walked into the room as this happened.

Romans mods were very obvious, because while his wings were curled up against his back they were still big metal wings. Plus he had a metal arm that wasn't covered by gloves and a sleeve, so he's stuck out pretty well.

Roman had grinned at finally seeing another mod, as so far he'd not seen any at all. He grinned and when Virgil turned to him with the spider limbs curled up against his back and his hoodie being shrugged back on he waved excitedly.

Virgil raised a brow and walked over hesitantly, looking around as if there'd be cameras watching him. "Can I help you..?" He asked hesitantly and Roman took a breath before squealing.

"I haven't seen any other mods today! Oh my stars I thought I was going to be the only mod here that would've been horrible! Spirits if that did happen though I totally could've become the cool modded king of the school, but still it's nice to not be the only mod here- the other students and teachers kept giving me dirty looks, not that I'm not used to that by now, nobody back at home had mods either- that's not the point, I'm Roman!" He rambled and Virgil just kinda.. blinked. The other teenager stared at him for a good minute until another student tried to get past them and they had to move.

"Uhm, okay?" Virgil started, ruffling his own hair. "I'm..Virgil?" He continued. "thanks for spilling your entire life story?" Roman blushed a bright red.

"Sorry! I ramble when I'm excited, or nervous, or really I just ramble a lot-" Virgil gave him a look, "Point proven-"

Virgil smirked at that and shook his head, "Where else you goin? I still gotta find locker 377 before I finish my classes,"

Roman hummed and looked at something on his hand, "I've gotta go to.. oh! Locker 376, so let's just find those then!" He grinned, grabbing Virgil by the wrist and missing the flinch he caused before dragging the boy down the hallways.

He read off the locker numbers or loud once they neared, "321, 322, 323, 324, 325," he mumbled to himself

"Roman, slow down!" Virgil exclaimed, startling himself and the two people they were seconds from plowing straight into.

Roman turned and skidded to a hauler, extending his wings to catch the air and slow himself down further. He haunted properly and dropped onto the ground, curling his wings back up and looking to Virgil who still held his hand.

The two teens they nearly ran into Kinda just stared, a teen with little metal cat ears, round glasses and a tail was giggled and covering his mouth, clearly finding their display entertaining.

The other was staring curiously with a brow raised. He had plain black glasses and what looked like little blue wires in his face that actually looked pretty cool. His fingers were metal they saw when he reached up to adjust his glasses and the fluorescent lights bounced off his eyes in a way that suggested they weren't his original eyes, mods, likely.

"Hello!" Roman awkwardly greeted, waving his metal hand to them in greeting, "So sorry about that, we were trying to find our lockers, 377 and 376, and I got carried away sprinting through the hallways with him reading the numbers. I wasn't paying attention so like I'm so sorry for almost running into you I just didn't see you and Virgil didn't say anything until you were already right in front of us also sorry for taking up your-"

"Roman" Virgil started, looking to said character. He looked back sheepishly.

"Yeah?"

"You're rambling," Roman blushed.

The modded neko burst into giggles and the nerd just kinda sighed, rolling his eyes. The two teens on the ground turned back to them. "I'm Virgil, this is Roman, again we're so sorry-" he laughed a bit and stood, pulling Roman to his feet before he dusted off his own hoodie.

"I'm Patton! This is Logan- we just met cause I needed help finding Locker 374, he was about to show me it cause he's got locker 375 so that's convienet! Hey wait didn't you say you were lockers 376 and 375?" He grinned, "We're all locker buddies!"

"And we're all mods? Doesnt that seem a little.. weird?" Virgil commented, glancing around and spotting a teacher in a nearby room eying them and glaring hard enough for her to scramble to her work.

"I do have to agree, judging from what I have seen the teachers and our peers do not seem too fond of our mods," Logan commented, speaking for the first time. His tone is calm and monotone, he adjusts his glasses as he speaks and also looks around, but he's eying the other students.

Patton looked confused and Roman frowned, "Uh well let's just go find our lockers-" Roman mumbled, brushing himself off a bit further and smiling. Logan nodded and Patton returned to his seemingly default mood.

The four kids walked down the hallway this time, talking amongst themselves. It didn't take long to get there, and upon arriving they all made sure they could open their lockers. "Oh for shits sake," Virgil grumbled, tugging on the locker a little harder than he should. "Mines jammed," he huffed. Leaning out to see if he could catch a teachers attention.

"Excuse me!" Roman called to a male teacher down the hallway and Virgil winced, spinning around to glare at the character. The teacher turned around and walked over with a smile.

"How can I help? Some locker trouble?" He asked curiously. Roman nodded and gestured to Virgil.

"He says his Locker is jammed," he informed and Virgil groaned.

"If you aren't too busy, I can't seem to get my locker open," he said to the teacher, surprisingly calm. The man just smiled and laughed lightly, walking over to the locker.

"Let me see your combo?" He requested and Virgil handed him a piece of paper. The teacher nodded and hummed quietly to himself as he put it in. Upon pulling up on the handle he found that, yeah, it was jammed. It pulled up but the locker wouldn't open. "Huh, I think one of the staff said there was a bit of trouble with this locker last year as well. I'll get it sorted out! What's your name?" He requested.

"Virgil, Virgil Storm," Virgil replied and Roman rolled his eyes with a slight grin from behind the man.

"Wonderful! I'm Mr Sanders, the tenth grade science teacher so I'll probably see you in my class. I'll talk to Mx Talyn and see if they can't get you a locker change," he grinned and Virgil hesitated, "It'll still be in this area, don't worry," he informed and Virgil gave him a look to which he just winked and walked away.

2256 Word Count


	2. The Chatroom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUESS WHO FINALLY CAME IN A FORMATTED >:D
> 
> I want to change it so it's Patton's phone because it'll look nicer but like.. that's a lot of work sooo maybe later

"Well he seems nice!" Patton grinned, closing his locker and turning to the group. Virgil hummed and turned to look everybody over for the first time.

Roman had naturally brown hair, but it looked like the top was a faded red color. He had fairly tan skin and amber eyes. His build seemed fairly muscular, probably an athlete in that case. He was wearing a leathermen jacket and some blue jeans, his wings popped through slits in the jacket. Virgil realized he has a rather large scar on the right side of his face that went from his jaw up and across his cheek. 

Logan hadn't really changed his facial expression since hey met. His hair was black and gelled flat towards the back of his head. He wore a plain black polo with a blue tie and black pants. His eyes were a dark, dark blue that hid the small tech pieces Virgil could only see because of his own teched up eyes.

Patton, of course, was a very excitable character from what he could tell. With an average Caucasian skin tone and big round glasses resting on his nose, a mop of messy blonde hair fell over them. His eyes were big and bright blue and were surrounded by the freckles that patterned across his face. He was a little plump but it was adorable in Virgil's opinion. He's wearing a bright blue skirt that reaches about his knees and a white polo tucked into said skirt. He's got a pair of white sneakers on his feet and a Grey cardigan wrapped around his neck. 

At this same time Logan was profiling him. Definitely has some form of mental illness, judging by his fidgeting, hesitation and glanced around the hallway. Virgil was also scanning the three of them. The teen was a bit tall in comparison to them, standing at probably 5'8, Roman being 5'5 or 5'6, himself being 5'7 and Patton being probably 5'4. Virgil had naturally black hair and a messy mop of purple at the top. He had incredibly pale skin that was littered with scars, one over his nose, a handful around his eyes, and a fuck ton of small ones on his throat and across his chin and cheeks. There are deep bags under his eyes, that or eyeshadow. 

..was he wearing eyeshadow under his eyes?

Whatever, he didn't have any visual mods, but he definitely had some judging by his previous statement of them all being mods. He seemed a bit too skinny despite not having form fitting clothes. His clothes consisted of a plain black hoodie that was too thick for the hot summer weather. He had a pair of black skinny jeans with ripped knees and some combat boots. His nails were painted black and he had various piercings in his slightly pointed ears.

The two kids only took about a minute scanning each other and the other two, before Roman and Patton's conversation distracted them. "We've got matching schedules?" Roman asked more than he said, holding too pieces of paper in his hands, likely his and Patton's schedules. "I mean, aside from electives, since I have Theatre and Gym,"

Patton lit up, the two calmer individuals raised a brown. "We do?! Oh! Maybe we all do! Guys give Roman your schedules!" He was grinning, looking between Logan and Virgil.

Virgil begrudgingly pulled out a mostly crumpled piece of paper and handed it over, Logan pulled a neatly folded one out and handed it over as well.

Roman hummed as he scanned the papers.  
"Yeah, all our core classes are identical!" Roman announced, handing each of their papers back. "So.. should we find those first? Or do you wanna find our electives together since we can find our main classes later-" he asked.

Virgil shrugged, "I think we should find our electives, cause that'll take more time," he suggested, Patton shrugged and Logan nodded.

"Agreed, who's electives shall we find first?" He inquired, Roman hummed and pointed to Virgil.

"Yours are closest, right?" He asked, "Rooms 245 and 232?" He hesitated before each number and Virgil hummed in response.

"Yeah, so the Art room is thats way," he pointed in the direction that had been walking, "But the Band room is out by the front doors,"

"Which is closest to Theatre and The Gym," Logan informed, "So I suggest we find the regular classrooms first. I'm in Intro to Business and Health, I take it Virgil is in Art, and Patton?"

"I'm also in Health and Art! So we've only got three classes to find!" He grinned and Logan rolled his eyes.

"Congrats, Patton, you can count," he mocked, not caring of how Patton's ears drooped, "Let's go to the Art room first."

Roman and Virgil glared at the back of Logan's head, having already formed a sort of attachment to Patton. Neither said anything, but Roman ruffled his hair and wrapped an arm around his shoulders as they walked.

The Art teacher was actually pretty nice, they insisted the kids called them Joan and was very nice when correcting them on pronouns. He made puns and Patton immediately appreciated him, talking about being excited for that class the entire walk to the health room.

The health teacher seemed far less fond of them, giving them a look up and down, rolling her eyes and scoffing. "Don't tell me I got all the freaks in my class," she grumbled and Virgil frowned.

"Hello! Me and Logan are in your class, we were just coming to say hello!" Patton grinned, Virgil realized he was definitely the only one who heard her say that.

She smiled and laughed, "Well I can't wait to see you in my class! We'll be covering lots of fun stuff in my class, especially mods!" Virgil would've punched her if he didn't have more self control, favoring to grab Roman's wrist while he glared at her.

She eyed him warily and laughed again, "You best run along, I bet you have a bunch more teachers to meet!" She waved them off and Virgil heard her groan as they left. "Stupid school board, can't believe they let /mods/ in here," and Virgil tightened his grip on Roman's wrist.

"Jeez, Vee, chill," Roman laughed awkwardly and Virgil pulled away from him quickly, "What's got you all pissed about?" He asked, the three of them heard Logan tell them to just wait there while he went to the Business classroom, mumbling something about not wanting them to make a fool of him.

"Nothing," Virgil sighed, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. He didn't usually say anything about his sensory mods if he could help it, it wasn't ever considered very useful and if anything caused him more pain than it helped. "She was just really annoying," he looked up.

Roman hummed and Patton frowned, "She seemed nice!" He defended, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, too nice, and she kept mumbling things! Plus the way she said 'Especially mods!' implied she really doesn't approve of them. On top of that the way she looked at us when she walked in and scoffed should be proof enough,"

"She didn't scoff?" Roman replied, looking at him with a brow raised and Virgil just shook his head. Logan left the classroom with a scowl on his face.

He didn't say anything about why or what happened just about where to next, "Let's head to the gym first, then the Theatre and Band room," he suggested and they nodded, brushing off Virgil and Logan's annoyance.

The gym teacher wasn't there, but the room was open to look around. Just a standard gym. The band teacher is this rather annoying enby Mx Doyle and the Theatre teacher, Mrs Maurer, didn't seem too bad if not a bit intimidating.

Then they went on to find their core classes and that was pretty boring. With every necessary class found they went to find the cafeteria and then headed to leave.

"That was fun!" Patton grinned, Virgil was clearly in a sour mood now, due to the amount of unwelcoming teachers, but that didn't stop Payton's excitement. The blonde's tail swung back and forth happily, "Oh! Can I have your numbers? So we can keep in contact!" He pulled out his phone and held it out with a grin.

The three of them pulled their phones out before gently tapping them together, the four contacts sync up and Patton grins, fully ready to change everybody's names in a group chat.

"I'll see you guys around, I gotta get home," Virgil stuffs his phone in his pocket and adjusts the shoulder bag he had. He waved to them as he ran off.

Roman laughed lightly and waved back, Patton followed the purple haired kid just slower, while he'd love to walk with him he didn't want to annoy the boy.

Turns out Roman and Logan both lived in a higher class area of the town, so they ended up walking together in silence.

-=-

-=-

**Patton has made a group chat** **Patton has named Group Chat: School Buddies :D**

**Patton has changed Patton's name to Dad ****Patton has added Logan**  
**Patton has added Virgil**  
**Patton has added Roman******

********

**Roman**  
Greetings, Patton!

********

**Dad**  


Hey, Roman!!!!

********

**Logan**  
Why have you made a group chat, exactly?

********

**Dad**  
Because its fun!!  
Do you not wanna be in it?? :(

********

**Logan**  
I suppose it is fine, just surprised.

********

**Roman**  
Ah! So Nerdo does know emotion.

********

**Roman has changed Logan's name to Nerdo**

********

**Nerdo**  
Immature, but alright.

********

**Roman**  
Im not immature! Im funny

********

**Dad**  
That was a bit mean son

********

**Roman**  
:/  
Sorry, Pat

********

**Nerdo**  
What is with your name, Patton?  
You are not a father, hopefully.

********

**Dad**  
Because im everybodys lovable dad friend!!!!

********

**Roman**  
Ah, of course!

********

**Nerdo**  
...  
Alright.

********

**Dad**  
:DDDD

********

**Roman**  
Say, where is the Emo?

********

**Dad**  
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm............

********

**Nerdo**  
Patton, please do not use so much.. excessive punctuation.  
Or lengthen your words like that.

********

**Dad**  
But its fun!!!  
Plus :D it emphasizes my point!!!

********

**Roman**  
The way he types is fine, Nerd  
Leave him be  
Im gonna spam the emo!

********

**Dad**  
:DDD  
I wanna help!

********

**-=twenty minutes and a couple hundred messages later because theyre dedicated af=-**

********

**Virgil**  
who are yall  
why am i in a group chat  
why tf are you soamming me

********

**Nerdo**  
And why aren't you capitalizing anything or using any punctuation.  
Or your auto correct.

********

**Virgil**  
ok so thats logan-

********

**Nerdo**  
Frankly, i'm a bit offended by that.

********

**Virgil**  
eh idc

********

**Dad**  
Virgil!!!! :DDD

********

**Virgil**  
im assuming your patton then

********

**Logan**  
You're^

********

**Dad  
** You got it in one, son!!! :D

********** **

**Roman**  
Ah! It is good to see our spamming worked!  
Greetings, emo!

********** **

**Logan**  
Virgil, seriously, what is wrong with your typing?

********** **

**Virgil**  
shrug  
i turned off all my original keyboard settings

********** **

**Logan**  
Why would you do that?

********** **

**Virgil**  
makes it seem like i care less

********** **

**Roman**  
You truly are an emo

********** **

**Virgil**  
id like to think im more of a punk but like  
thanks i guess

********** **

**Dad**  
What took you so long, Virgil? :(((

********** **

**Virgil**  
srry

********** **

**-=Five minutes pass, nobody says anything=-**

********** **

**Dad**  
Virgil?????!!!!

********** **

**Roman**  
Calm down, dadio!  
He probably is just getting a water!

********** **

**Logan**  
For five minutes, without his phone while he was in the midst of saying something?  
I highly doubt it.

********** **

**Dad**  
:(((((((

********** **

**Virgil**  
srry gota go dads hom  
didnt inish my chres hes gona yel at me

********** **

**Dad**  
That doesnt sound good!!!  
Virgil!

********** **

**Roman**  
Do not die, my friend!

********** **

********** **

********** **

********** **

********** **

**1804 Word Count**

********** **


	3. The Bad Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **TW**
> 
> Something akin to a sensory meltdown or sensory overload, Virgil freezes up and has to be dragged out of a room because of a noise.  
> Drunken absuive parent implications

**Incoming Call from Roman, "School Buddies :D"**

Virgil groaned and rolled out of bed with a thud and a wince. They fumbled around for their newly broken phone before tapping the answer button. "What the fuck do you want this early," they grumbled.

"It's like barely two hours before school dude, why weren't you already up?" Roman's voice came.

"Because I don't take three hours to get ready, people already don't like me what's dressing up gonna get me?" he asked from his spot on the floor.

"We like you!" Patton whined, Virgil hummed and sat up slowly, grabbing their phone. Patton had his camera off and Roman had his propped up where they couldn't quite see him. "Besides, it'd be cool if we all dressed up! Isn't there an after event party thing to start off the year?" Patton inquired.

Roman gasped, "There is?! I wanna look good then," he grinned, there's what sounds like a closet and what Virgil assumes is clothes moving around. "Hm, dress or suit?"

Patton gasped, "Dress! I want a dress buddy!" he squealed, Roman laughs. Virgil chuckled quietly, still tired but now up and rifling through his closet.

The jingle of Logan joining the call rings out, followed by a zipper from Patton's side of the call.

The four of them chilled on the call for quite a while, Logan hung around for a few before he went afk to eat breakfast with his little sister. Roman was guiding Patton with their makeup and Virgil was doing their own.

"Shit, what time is it?" Virgil asked, grabbing his phone.

"A little past eight," Roman replied, applying red to his golden eyeshadow noicely idk how makeup works leave me alone-

"Shit! I've gotta go, the walk to school is like thirty minutes and I still haven't gotten my bag ready!" he panics, finishing his makeup in record time and rushing around to pack his bag.

Roman chuckles, "How are you so far out? This town is tiny!"

"I live at like the edge of town! I'll talk to you later," Virgil grabs his phone and hangs up the calls, rushing out the door as quietly as he can around the beer bottles and spilled liquor.

-=-

At the school Virgil rolls up and glances around for his friends. He spots the out of place group rather swiftly.

Patton is standing with his white ears perked and his tail swishing back and forth. The dress he said he was going to wear is much prettier than Virgil expected, it baby blue with white lace vines covering the bodice and extends out at the cinched waist. On his feet is a pair of matching tenishoes, primarily baby blue with white laces and bases. Around his left wrist Virgil spots what loots like a bundle of white fake flowers, a matching choker is wrapped around his neck. Virgil realizes he's also wearing makeup once he gets closer, baby blue on white with his naturally thick lashes providing a line, making less of a need for the white eyeliner.

Roman, who's standing closer to the tree they're all by, is wearing less than Virgil expected, to be honest. It's a simple sleeveless red dress with gold lace patterned across the bottom and over the bodice. He's got a gold choker around his neck with a small locket of sorts dangling from it, Virgil can't see what from where he is. His makeup is bright red lipstick and red eyeshadow, gold dusting the middle. Black eyeliner leads out to short wings and Virgil can tell he's wearing mascara or fake lashes.

Virgil himself is wear black eyeshadow around his eyes, above and below. Little black spiderwebs of eyeliner replace the standard wings that Roman has. He's got black lipstick over his lips, which stands out hard against his pale skin. His outfit is a purple dress shirt and a black tie, one of his sleeveless hoodies takes the place of a vest and the job of hiding his spider limbs. Outside of that he's got unripped skinny jeans and a pair of combat boots, then that's about it except for the various black earrings he's got on.

Logan is wearing a similar outfit to the day before, except he's wearing a lighter blue tie today. Because Logan doesn't like dressing up, especially not for something as simple as a school dance he probably won't attend. Roman is probably going to pull out a dress for Logan at some point or something. 

"Y'all look cute," Virgil comments as he strolls up to them all by one of the two trees in front of the school.

Roman snickers, "I always look cute!" he calls, throwing his arms in to the side in Roman's signature pose.

Patton giggled and Logan hummed simply in response. Patton sighed contently, "I love all the nature! There wasn't as much back in the city," he comments, sitting down on the grass, his dress splayed out beneath him.

Roman took a seat beside him, curling his own legs up and leaning on one arm that planted itself against the grass. Logan leaned against the tree. A book is in his hands that he's reading at a speed Virgil's never seen before. Yes, Virgil is paying attention to that, let him profile people like a weirdo.

Virgil plops down, setting his black shoulder bag next to him. He pulls his phone out, but doesn't actually do anything on it. He's instead people listening, since with his sensory mods he can focus and unfocus on different sounds.

They sit together for quite a bit, since the school doors seem to be opening late. Roman and Patton talk while the other two do their own thing.

It takes about thirty minutes to an hour for that 'quite a bit' to pass, when the doors finally opened Virgil had fallen into tumblr to block out the loud crowd of students rushing into the school, and nobody else seemed to move from their own

It's only when someone is tugging on Virgil's hoodie does he realize he slipped a bit farther from reality than he thought. They jolt and look up, seeing Roman staring down at them with a confused or concerned expression, "Yeah?" Virgil asks.

"Everybody's already inside, come on," he half whined, pulling on Virgil's hoodie again. The emo quickly reached up and slapped Roman's hand away, holding back a flinch from the contact.

"Don't touch me," he grumbled, standing and stretching out, and then making his way towards the school doors behind Roman who had scurried off at the first sign of Virgil's saltiness.

"Hello, Hello students of Birtchburg High!" Comes over the crackly intercoms, Virgil flinches and goes to cover their ears, stopping in their tracks. "Welcome to your first day of school, I'm sure you'll settle in real quick!"

"Virgil?" Virgil hears called over the interference from the speakers that was ringing in his ears. He could feel the stabs in his skin as people shoved past his unmoving form. He can't tell what he looks like, too busy trying to tune out as much as he can.

"Today we'll be having an assembly during your second and third hours to fully welcome you! And don't forget the dance going on tonight, either!" Virgil wants to slap the principle right now.

"Virgil!" Roman shouts and Virgil flinches, looking down to the ground with now closed eyes. Too much input, too much input.

A hand grabs his upper arm firmly, and he's being dragged away. A door clicks up, and then slams shut, and Virgil's in a dark room now. He can still hear the speakers, but there clearly isn't one in this room. "Virgil?" Roman's voice is much quieter now, and filled with a lot more worry than Virgil would've ever expected.

"Yeah?" Virgil responds, and his voice cracks half way through the word. He's looking around the small room now with slightly closed eyes and his brows are raised towards the center of his forehead (I have no idea how to phrase that sorry-).

"What just happened?" Roman asked, Virgil slowly taking his hands off his ears.

"Nothing, the speakers just startled me," he mumbled, "Where are we? My eyes don't adjust to the dark very fast," he asked, looking around.

"Janitors closet," Roman informs, sounding suspicious of Virgil, "Alright, let's head to class before we get in trouble," he then opens the janitor door and heads outside, glancing back at Virgil who looks nervous.

A loud beep causes him to flinch, but also signals that the intercoms are now off, so Virgil walks up next to Roman and pulls his hood up as they walk to class.

-=-

Patron waves exaggeratedly to Virgil and Roman as they enter class a minute late. The teacher nods to them and points to the seating chart on screen. Virgil and Roman are seated just behind Patton and Logan.

"Hey, guys!" Patton whisper shouts, handing them each a paper with that stupid 'Get to Know You!' thing on it. Virgil shoves it out of his way and puts his head down, his hair poking out slightly. Patton stares at him a little worriedly before turning to Roman, "Is he okay?"

Roman shrugs, "Something happened in the hallway, won't tell me what," he explain rather vaguely, mainly because the bitchy looking teacher is glaring at them over her ugly glasses and writing little notes on a clipboard.

Logan turns around and looks at Virgil curiously, "Virgil, are you alright?" He asks, tapping Virgil's arm with his metal fingie

The emo jolts rather violently, pulling his arms away and sitting up. His face expresses fear for about a second before it reverts to something akin to annoyance. He crosses his arms and hunches over in his seat, staring at a wall across the room. 

"I will take that as a no," he then turns to Roman, "What did you do?" 

"Excuse me?!" Roman exclaims, rather high pitched. Multiple student's heads turn to look at him and snicker, whispers start up again a moment later and Virgil is the only one who knows that some of them are in fact about them. Not like they weren't already. "I have done nothing! The stupid intercom thing freaked him out, just leave the emo alone and he'll probably be fine,"

Virgil grumbles something, and Patton reaches out. Logan grabs his wrist before he makes contact, "Judging by how he reacted to me tapping his arm, I suggest none of us touch him," Patton looks to Logan then back to Virgil worriedly. 

The blonde sets her hand on the desk beside him, and Virgil glances over at it before back to the wall. "What's wrong, kiddo?" Patton asked, his voice quiet and gentle. Virgil doesn't respond. Roman gently hits Patton on the shoulder, then nods toward the teacher who is now standing in front of the board staring at them expectantly.


	4. The Cafe and The Drive

The rest of the classes was rather uneventful, and went similarly to how first hour went. Virgil was no where to be seen at Study Hall or Lunch, Logan

The rest of the classes they shared together Virgil continued to not say anything and didn't seem to be paying attention except for in English. Logan saw that Virgil was nowhere to be found in Study Hall or Lunch, but showed up in the classes afterwards. He had the mind he ask about it, but never did.

It's not until History ends that Virgil finally says something, Logan is sitting beside him in this class and had been studying him as class ended. It was like Virgil wasn't really.. there, for most of the classes, there's a distant look in his eyes and Logan wouldn't be surprised if he was dissociating or something along those lines.

He had done some research on the topic a while back, because he was curious after reading about it in a book. He found some people do it to handle stress or anxiety, which is the main reason he's assuming that's what's happening.

(This is *not* going to be accurate, please don't come for me, feel free to educate me as long as you're nice about it!)

Once the bell rang, Virgil blinked a few times, and shook his head, pulling away from his hand that he had his chin rested on. He glanced around the room a few times and his mouth fell open as if he were about to say something, but he never did. His mouth shut, he grabbed his bag and he stood to leave the room. 

Logan watched him walk out, before he grabbed his own school supplies. Patton and Roman are chatting as they clean up and get ready to leave, so Logan doesn't bother interrupting. 

Virgil on the other hand, left the classroom as quickly as he could with fast breaths and he quickly began to borderline hyperventilating. He slipped through the crowd, getting touched as few times as he could, and sprinting out the doors and down the street until he couldn't hear the school anymore. 

At that point he slowed to a halt and dropped down onto the ground, panting and trying to slow his breathing. He knows how to calm down, he's had anxiety since before he could remember. His phone buzzes in his pocket.

**Message from School Buddies :D**

**Dad**  
Guuuuuyyssssss!!!!!!!!  
My pops got me a puppy! :DDDDDDD

**Roman**  
That is splendid! What did you name it?

**Dad**  
Her name is....  
Casper! Because she's white like a ghost!!! :D

**Nerdo**  
I am truly amazing by your creativity, Patton.  
/s

**Roman**  
What is the /s?  
What is the point of that.

**Virgil**  
it maens that waht he said before wsa sarcastic  
/s is a tone markre thnig, theres a bunch fo em

**Nerdo**  
Are you quite alright, Virgil?  
You are making more mistakes than usual.

**Virgil**  
m fin  
fine

**Dad**  
Are you sure???  
You weren't talking to us all day!!!  
Roman said something happened in the halls DDD:

**Roman**  
Yes, are you alright, emo?

**Virgil**  
im fine

**Roman**  
If you say so!  
The school dance takes place in an hour.  
Can we meet at the cafe and get drinks before then?

**Virgil**  
cant  
busy

**Roman**  
Doing what?

**Dad**  
I'd love to get drinks!!! :DDD 

**Virgil**  
having a panic attack lol  
i'll beet yu there bitch

**Roman**  
I've got a car.

**Virgil**  
fuck

**Roman**  
hAh 

**Virgil**  
stil gon get thre befor u!

**Roman**  
Why is your text getting progressively less coherant 

**Virgil**  
cuz im runnin >:D

**Roman**  
fUck

**Dad**  
.....what just happened?  
Logan?

**Nerdo**  
I'm not sure I wish to know.  
Would you like me to pick you up, Patton?

**Dad**  
Yes please!! :D  
Are you going to get dressed up?

**Nerdo**  
No thank you, I don't think this is quite important enough for that.

Virgil laughs, sprinting as fast as his malnourished, tired body will take him. His previous anxiety dulled at the idea of beating Roman in a race. The only Cafe that Virgil knows of in town is probably a three minute drive from the school and there, Virgil had already ran down a few streets in that direction so he figures he can get there before if not at the same time as Roman if he's running.

But he's not just running.

Nah Virgil pulled off his hoodie, stuffed it into his bag, and climbed up onto one of the nearby building's roof, he is now roof hopping with the assistance of his extra limbs. So with that the previously twenty or so minute walk should at the very least be cut in half.

So~ he finally arrives at the cafe, landing on the roof, slipping slightly and nearly tumbling off the thing. Virgil grabs his bag and fumbles around for a second before pulling out his sleeveless hoodie, pulling it overtop of his mods and then hopping off the roof, his hands hitting the ground. 

A red car pulls up after that, and out steps Roman, laughing. "Damnit! I was sure i'd get here before you!" Roman whined, leaning back dramatically, his phone in his hand.

Virgil laughed, "Of course you wouldn't! Why didn't you use those fuckin' wings of yours, dumbass?" Roman blinked a few times before blush spread across his tanned face and he laughed awkwardly.

"Cause I didn't think of that..?" Virgil rolled his eyes, "You're feeling better then? Since you're talking now," Roman asked, walked over towards Virgil where the emo turned so they could head inside.

Virgil shrugged, "Eh, I guess," he took a second to breathe in the wonderful smell the cafe, "God coffee smells good," he groaned, ready to down twice as much caffeine as he ever should. "Oh! When are Patton and Logan getting here?" he asked, smiling and waving to the person behind the counter, she waves back.

"In a few minutes, he and Logan were talking with the health teacher about something," Roman replies, sliding into a stool by the window. The lady from behind the counter makes her way over, her shoulder length black hair swishing slightly.

"Hey Virgil!" she calls, "What can I get you today?" she smiles kindly, also turning to Roman, though she seems a bit.. focused, on Virgil.

"Nothing yet, we've got more friends coming," Virgil gives her a small smile, "Thanks, Val," she nods, making her way back to the counter where she attends to a customer.

"Who's that?" Roman asked, staring at the menu that covers the back wall.

"Valerie, I come here a fuck ton so we've become friends, her brother Remy and his boyfriend Picani work here too they just work the nightshift," he explains, leaning back in his stool/chair thing and staring out the window where a black car is pulling in. 

"Sounds like she's got a thing for you," Roman comments, wiggling his brows, Virgil turns to him with a confused look.

"W-What?" he laughs it off, "No, no there's no way,"

"Oh come on! She was so eager to come talk to you and she kept looking down at your lips like she wanted to kiss you!" Roman throws his hands in the air exaggeratedly, trying to keep his voice low.

Virgil blinked a few times before turning to the window where Logan and Patton are getting out of the car, Patton is bouncing up and down excitedly and it looks like he's rambling off about something to Logan.

"Vee?" Roman calls, waving his hand in front of Virgil's face, the emo turns to him and is about to say something when Patton and Logan walk in rather loudly.

"Patton, just because you think a cat made out of poptarts, with rainbows trailing behind it and an annoying song is 'cute', doesn't mean I have to," Logan sighs, rubbing the bridge of his nose before readjusting his glasses.

Patton frowns, "But how can you not like Nyan Cat?! It's so cute!" he whines, throwing his arms in the air. Virgil snickers, while Roman waves them over.

"Over here, guys!" the false redhead calls, the two turn to them and Patton squeals, rushing over, while they do this Virgil waves to Valerie to get her attention. She smiles and holds the universal 'one moment!' sign. 

Logan slides into the seat beside Virgil, while Patton bounces into the seat beside Roman and almost topples his chair over. Roman catches him though, it's fine, nobody's dead. Yet.

They start up conversation and Valerie walks over to get their orders after a couple minutes, "Sorry 'bout the holdup! What can I get you four?" she asks kindly, smiling to them. 

"I'll have a hot chocolate! With lots of whip cream!" Patton requests, Roman grabs his hand before he starts rambling and squeezes it gently.

"Can I get.. a caramel Frappuccino? Or just whatever you have that's closest to that," Roman requests kindly, Valerie turns to Logan next.

"I'll just have a coffee," Logan requests, "Nothing extra," he looks to Virgil expecting him to order but Valerie just starts talking.

"Alright! I'll have those right out," she smiles and goes to walk away.

"You didn't take Virgils order?" Roman calls behind her, and she turns around to say something, almost looking a bit apologetic.

"She knows my order already," Virgil informs, his voice devolved into a bit of a mumble. Valerie nods and smiles, apologizing quietly. She rushes back up from and hands the notepad to a guy in the back before starting on the order of the next customer.

-=-

They stay there for a while before Roman panics, saying they're going to be late to the dance (Despite it lasting a few hours and there's no set time you have to arrive, Logan pointed out). Patton and him urge the calmer two to get out, and Virgil hops in Roman's car and Patton in Logan's, and they drive back over to the school. 

"Sooo, spider legs, huh?" Roman asked, pulling out of the cafe parking lot. Virgil hummed in response, when nothing was said for a minute Roman huffs, "What's up with you today? You were talkative yesterday and you keep staring off into the distance silently," he waves his hand around, the other one stay on the wheel so they don't crash.

"Huh?" Virgil turns to him, "Sorry, uh, I didn't hear what you said," he laughed a bit awkwardly, Roman shakes his head dismissively. 

"Spider legs? Why those? You can't have always been this emo," Roman chuckles, both hands back on the wheel now. Virgil shrugs.

"I was like thirteen so I guess I was already in my 'emo' phase," he thought about spilling some details, about how it was against his will and that he still hates them to this day because they were poorly done so he gets random pains in his back.

"Okay, fair explanation, what's with all the scars?" Roman then asked, Virgil turned to him and almost looked annoyed, "Okay! Nevermind, jeez, sor~ry" he grumbled and Virgil rolled his eyes, "Gods you're moody,"

Virgil hummed, and then perked up a bit, "Gods? You believe in multiple gods?" Roman turned to him and nodded.

"Yeah, Norse specifically, what about you?" he turned to Virgil, surprised that's what got Virgil's attention. He hadn't really noticed his shift from saying God to Gods but he guesses it happened somewhere around twelve or thirteen when he backed out of Christianity to out of rebellion.

..grunge was not a good look on him..

Anyways, "Greek gods, grew up atheist," Virgil vaguely explained, spotting the school in the distance, "Agh," he huffed, anxiety bubbling up in his chest, "I had school dances.." he grumbled.

"What? You were all excited this morning! And how can you hate dances?! You get to show off how cute you look in fancy clothes and all that shit!" Roman throws his arms in the air dramatically before frantically grabbing for the steering wheel when they swerved.

Virgil shrugged, "I have nasty mood swings, in case you hadn't noticed," he remarked sarcastically, Roman pulled into the school parking lot a moment later, "Alright! Let's get this over with," Virgil grabs his bag, opens his door and hops out of the vehicle.


End file.
